Where I Need to Behttp://www.whereineedtobe.com
Fri, 09 Dec 2016 15:17:14 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1Poached Pears {Recipe}http://www.whereineedtobe.com/poached-pears-recipe/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/poached-pears-recipe/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 15:17:14 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7912Earlier this week I arrived to an acupuncture session with a nagging, dry cough. It ended up being the onset of the flu, but at the time, I didn’t know it. My acupunturist suggested a few remedies, including poached pears, which in Chinese Medicine, nourish the lungs. Something about poached pears sounded so good to […]

]]>Earlier this week I arrived to an acupuncture session with a nagging, dry cough. It ended up being the onset of the flu, but at the time, I didn’t know it. My acupunturist suggested a few remedies, including poached pears, which in Chinese Medicine, nourish the lungs. Something about poached pears sounded so good to me, but I knew most recipes use sugar, honey, wine or some combination of the three. I wanted my poached pears recipe to be free of added sugar.

For this poached pears recipe I used D’Anjou pears. It’s important that the pears are ripe, but firm. Once the pears poach, you can drink the poaching water, which is also a treat. I topped my poached pears with dairy-free coconut yogurt. You could also drizzle some almond butter on top and sprinkle with granola.

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/poached-pears-recipe/feed/0Holiday Gifting Guide: Gifts for the Health and Fitness Loverhttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/holiday-gifting-guide-health-fitness-lover/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/holiday-gifting-guide-health-fitness-lover/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 06:45:42 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7909I have to admit, I haven’t started much holiday shopping yet. I’ve picked up a few items here and there but mostly I’ve been browsing online which led me to pulling together these holiday gifts for the health and fitness lover. I’ve always been a “one for them, one for me” kind of gifter meaning […]

I have to admit, I haven’t started much holiday shopping yet. I’ve picked up a few items here and there but mostly I’ve been browsing online which led me to pulling together these holiday gifts for the health and fitness lover. I’ve always been a “one for them, one for me” kind of gifter meaning that I would buy a gift for someone and the same thing for myself, but since I’ve adopted my “less is more” approach to acquiring things, I’m not doing that this year. Still, if you’re looking for gifts for the health and fitness lover in your life, you can consider these items to be at the top of my personal list and therefore, health-and-fitness lover approved!

One // The 52 Lists Project I picked up this book over the summer and can’t wait to start using it come January! It offers a different list prompt for every week of the year. If you know someone who is a self-improvement junkie and list lover, they will truly appreciate this gift which will keep on giving all year long.

Two // Women’s New Balance for J.Crew 620 SneakersAnyone who uses running shoes or the like to workout, hates wearing them to run errands or go to a barre or yoga class. Trust me when I say the fitness lover in your life would much prefer a pair of comfy and stylish shoes like these New Balance sneaks.

Three // Nutribullet Pro 900 Blenders are great, but everyone wants a quick and simple way to make smoothies with minimal clean up. This is it!

Four // Women’s Alo Goddess Ribbed LeggingsAs someone who practically lives in workout clothes, I can attest that a beautiful and comfortable pair of leggings is always a winning gift. I love the Alo Goddess Leggings because they offer a flattering fit, wash well and come in tons of colors.

Five // Your Holistically Hot Transformation How could I resist? For the health and fitness-lover who seemingly has everything, my latest book will offer a fresh perspective on a balanced approach to wellness. Available in paperback or on Kindle.

Seven // Victoria Sport 7-pack Pom Pom SocksWhen I was 8-years-old, my favorite Christmas present was days of the week underwear. The adult version is sporting the day of the week on your feet. These socks are the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite fitness lover. I promise, we can never have enough socks.

Anything I missed? What’s one gift you’d love to receive this year that will get you closer to your health and fitness goals?

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/holiday-gifting-guide-health-fitness-lover/feed/0Notes from the Weekend: NY Knicks and A Little Christmashttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-ny-knicks-little-christmas/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-ny-knicks-little-christmas/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 23:16:12 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7900It seems as if the weekends are going just as quickly as they’re coming these days. While I had grandiose plans to decorate for the holidays and finish all our Christmas shopping, that didn’t happen. Instead, we got a few decorations up, checked out the newly refurbished Beekman Hotel and had brunch with out of […]

It seems as if the weekends are going just as quickly as they’re coming these days. While I had grandiose plans to decorate for the holidays and finish all our Christmas shopping, that didn’t happen. Instead, we got a few decorations up, checked out the newly refurbished Beekman Hotel and had brunch with out of town friends.

One of the things I’m working on with my meditation practice is learning to be more in the present moment, so when I catch myself trying to speed up and do too much, I can slow myself way down and appreciate exactly where I am instead of beating myself up for where I think I should be. It’s crazy how often I catch myself going into mental overdrive.

We kicked off the weekend on Friday with a Knicks game. Our team won by the skin of their teeth, which made for an exciting game!

Saturday morning was a quick breakfast at Springbone – broth and avocado toast with an egg followed by a stroll through SoHo before I hit up a class at Barry’s Bootcamp. It had been awhile since I’d last been and I remembered why I have such a love hate relationship with that grueling workout.

David and I went to the charming, newly renovated Beekman Hotel on Saturday night and were really impressed with the new look. For years, we lived down the street and there was nothing special about this hotel, but the refurb has made it the place to be.

On Sunday, we met out of town friends for a long, leisurely Mexican brunch at Cosme, our first time there for brunch. Among all of us we probably had one of each item from the menu. I had an oyster, some of the seafood-stuffed avocado and the chilaquiles with two eggs. We left pleasantly full.

We got home with just enough time to hang our wreath on the door, string a few Christmas lights and put out my decorative, table-top tree that I’ve taken with me to every apartment I’ve had since I graduated college. It’s sentimental to me because I bought it with my mom and my late grandmother – one of my last memories of her before she developed Alzheimer’s, so I’d like to think it was one of her last memories with me too. I didn’t have enough space in my apartment for an actual tree so I picked this one to add some holiday cheer to my tiny studio. It’s something I’ll take with me wherever I go to remind me how far I’ve come.

How was your weekend? Any special or sentimental Holiday memories you’d like to share? Tell me in the comments!

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-ny-knicks-little-christmas/feed/0Holiday Gifting Guide: Healthy Gift Setshttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/holiday-gift-guide-healthy-gift-sets/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/holiday-gift-guide-healthy-gift-sets/#respondFri, 02 Dec 2016 05:00:48 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7897When it comes to gift-giving, I love giving (and receiving) gift sets. I may be the odd one out here, but I think they’re curated and packaged thoughtfully and presentably and it gives the receiver an opportunity to discover products from a brand the gift-giver loves. So today I’m rounding up a few of my […]

When it comes to gift-giving, I love giving (and receiving) gift sets. I may be the odd one out here, but I think they’re curated and packaged thoughtfully and presentably and it gives the receiver an opportunity to discover products from a brand the gift-giver loves. So today I’m rounding up a few of my favorite healthy gift sets into a holiday gift guide.

There’s a little bit of everything here from bath and body to chocolate! Everything has my own healthy stamp of approval, so if you have a health fanatic in your life, you’ve come to the right place.

Five //Healthy Surprise Big Box Gift Set – For the healthy snacker, send a care package of the healthiest snacks money can buy. Everything is natural, GMO-free, gluten-free, vegan, soy-free and free of lots of other nasty additives. There’s even a Paleo box.

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/holiday-gift-guide-healthy-gift-sets/feed/0PopSugar Must-Have Box: Holiday Cheerhttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/popsugar-must-have-box-holiday-cheer/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/popsugar-must-have-box-holiday-cheer/#respondThu, 01 Dec 2016 19:56:03 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7893It’s that time of month again, when I dig into the PopSugar Must-Have Box to reveal what kind of surprises are inside. I feel like the holiday season always breezes by so fast, so this year, I’m going to do my best to savor it and be more present. I’m currently on a 21-day meditation […]

It’s that time of month again, when I dig into the PopSugar Must-Have Box to reveal what kind of surprises are inside. I feel like the holiday season always breezes by so fast, so this year, I’m going to do my best to savor it and be more present. I’m currently on a 21-day meditation streak which is helping. We’re also planning on braving the crowds to check out some holiday light displays this weekend. That’s the thing about living in NYC, with Christmas, comes crowds.

Anyway, this month’s box had me excited because there are a handful of festive touches for holiday decorating and a few good gift items, too. Watch for some gift guides next week here on the blog, by the way.

I loved the items for a holiday tablescape, which really made me want to host a holiday party minus the clean up and people wearing shoes in my house. I know you get me on this.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always indicisive when it comes to gifts for friends and close family members. It’t not that I don’t know what to get, but rather I’m so full of ideas, I can’t decide. This month’s box had two beautiful gift items perfect for a close friend or sister. At leas I know I would be happy to receive either one:

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/popsugar-must-have-box-holiday-cheer/feed/0Food FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and How to Handle Ithttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/food-fomo-fear-of-missing-out-and-how-to-handle-it/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/food-fomo-fear-of-missing-out-and-how-to-handle-it/#respondWed, 30 Nov 2016 20:30:59 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7891At no other time of the year does food FOMO, the fear of missing out around food, show up more voraciously than it does around the Holiday Season. In fact, this was recently a topic of conversation with one of my health coaching clients who is working on changing her relationship with food. Whether you’re […]

At no other time of the year does food FOMO, the fear of missing out around food, show up more voraciously than it does around the Holiday Season. In fact, this was recently a topic of conversation with one of my health coaching clients who is working on changing her relationship with food.

Whether you’re tempted by the trays of office treats that seem to show up every day without fail, the plethora of goodies at the never-ending holiday parties on your calendar or just feel compelled to have all the egg nog all the time, because, Christmas trees, then know you’re not alone.

According to a study that used the Yale Food Addiction Scale, 5 percent of the population suffers from clinical food addiction, but there is a high number of individuals who, while they don’t meet food addiction criteria, show a strong propensity to addictive behaviors around food. In other words, food FOMO is more common than you may think.

If you find that you suffer from food FOMO during the Holiday Season or all year long, try a few of these strategies for managing it:

One // Eat Before You Go. Most of us show up to holiday parties anticipating the food. To compensate for the gluttony in which we expect to engage, we starve ourselves all day. The result is a pit in our stomach, out-of-control appetite and an inability to satisfy our hunger until we’ve totally overdone it and need to undo a button or two. The best way to counteract the tendency to overeat is to eat reasonably throughout the day and have a well-balanced meal or snack of fiber, fat and protein before you arrive to your dinner or party. With your blood sugar balanced, you’ll be better able to make rational choices and prevent overeating. If for some reason you cannot eat before you arrive, approach the buffet table the same way – fill up on fiber, fat and protein first. Fill your plate with proteins like chicken, shrimp coctail, sliders without the bun, vegetable crudite, nuts, fresh salads and good quality cheeses.

Two // Ten Deep Breaths. If you’re even slightly plagued by food anxiety, you know what happens when you’re around a free-for-all of food. Perhaps your heart rate escalates, mouth waters, stomach rumbles, breathting becomes short, palms sweat. Everyone is different, so take the time to recognize what happens for you. When you feel the onset of these symptoms, change your environment by removing yourself, temporarily, from the situation. Take a time out in the restroom or outside, if possible. If you’re at a table and can’t leave, take 10 deep breaths before diving into the food. The idea is to slow down to calm your nervous system so you can think clearly and rationally.

Three // Focus on the Company. I learned this tip in nutrition school and it has served me well ever since. Take the focus off food and decide to be present with the company, your conversations and connections. Don’t give food the power of being the central focus of your evening – or your life.

Four // Talk Yourself Down. If you start feeling compelled to have one (or more) of everything, feel panic-stricken or any other strong emotions pertaining to food, get real with yourself. Tell yourself the food isn’t going anywhere. Reassure yourself that you can have anything you want if you choose once you’ve given yourself some time to work the room. Ask yourself what’s the worst that can happen if you leave the party without having the Christmas cookies AND the fudge? In the presence of food, often our ego mind takes over and we feel out of control. Slow it down. Remind yourself YOU are in control, not the food.

Five // Choose One Thing. If it’s on display, some people need to have it. I get it. I really do. This is where you start leveling with yourself. Decide in advance where, when and what it will be for you. If you know Suzy has THE BEST spiked hot chocolate at her holiday party, then make that your thing. The tray of sad, picked over deli pastries that end up in the office kitchen after the management meeting? Yea, go ahead and skip those. You get the idea. Treat yourself to something special and spectacular, just not everything, everyday.

So talk to me! What strategy above are you committed to trying this holiday season to overcome food FOMO? Have your own strategies that I didn’t mention here, share them with me in the comments.

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/food-fomo-fear-of-missing-out-and-how-to-handle-it/feed/0Notes from the Weekend: Thanksgivinghttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-thanksgiving/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-thanksgiving/#respondTue, 29 Nov 2016 19:25:24 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7882Wow! I’m super-late posting this week’s notes, because … Thanksgiving. David and I spent the holiday in Louisville, Ky. with my family. I mentioned in last week’s notes that I had been there the week prior to do some workshops and events. I then transitioned into family mode for the holiday. We started Thanksgiving Day […]

David and I spent the holiday in Louisville, Ky. with my family. I mentioned in last week’s notes that I had been there the week prior to do some workshops and events. I then transitioned into family mode for the holiday.

We started Thanksgiving Day with a Turkey Trot in Louisville’s downtown Waterfront Park followed by a quick breakfast at Con Huevos, a Mexican-inspired egg cafe, then returned home so I could finish my Thanksgiving contributions.

Being dairy, gluten and sugar-free at the Thanksgiving table meant that I was in charge of quite a few dishes.

We spent the rest of the weekend resting, working out, shopping and cuddling with my newphew, Reed.

We also threw in holiday cocktails at the Seelbach, a historic hotel in downtown Louisville, and a seafood dinner at Brendon’s Catch 23 which was one of the best meals we’ve had in Louisville.

I wanted to check out Rye, a local restaurant’s, Christmas-themed Pop Up Bar so we stopped there for a nightcap. I was underwhelmed because I think I was expecting something closer to Rolf’s a Christmas bar in NYC, that is totally over the top. Rye had some kitchy decor and Christmas themed drinks but it didn’t hold a candle to Rolf’s.

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-thanksgiving/feed/04 Healthy Thanksgiving Sideshttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/4-healthy-thanksgiving-sides/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/4-healthy-thanksgiving-sides/#respondTue, 22 Nov 2016 06:51:51 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7874Every year we spend Thanksgiving at my mom and dad’s house in Louisville, Ky. and every year I come equipped with recipes for healthy Thanksgiving sides. This year, I arrived a full 10 days before Thanksgiving thinking it would give me plenty of time for me to plan my contribution of healthy Thanksgiving sides. Yet, […]

Every year we spend Thanksgiving at my mom and dad’s house in Louisville, Ky. and every year I come equipped with recipes for healthy Thanksgiving sides. This year, I arrived a full 10 days before Thanksgiving thinking it would give me plenty of time for me to plan my contribution of healthy Thanksgiving sides. Yet, here I am two days before Thanksgiving without a plan.

Last week, I was in over my head with an event each day – career day at my alma mater, a wellness workhsop at local barre studio and a cooking class at a local health food store. Over the weekend I was recording my audio book. Not to mention, until a couple days ago, the weather still felt like summer.

Suffice to say, I think I’ll be pulling this year’s sides from some tried and true stand-bys. If, like me, you’re still in need of one or two healthy Thanksgiving sides, here you go! And not to worry, because not only are they healthy, they’re easy too.

Two //Sweet Potato-Turnip Mash.Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. This is a healthy alternative to rich, high-carb mashed potatoes that won’t sacrifice any of the flavor. It’s also crazy comforting.

Three //Stuffed Delicata Squash. My favorite squash ever to cook with because it’s so versatile and tender. The addition of whole grains and crunchy veggies makes this a perfect Fall side dish.

Four //Greens with Apricots and Fennel. Salad on your Thanksgiving table? Oh, yes! What better way to fill up on greens than with a fresh salad. The first year I did this, my family thought it was weird and now everyone loves it. Try it yourself!

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/4-healthy-thanksgiving-sides/feed/0Notes from the Weekend: Recording My Audiobookhttp://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-recording-audiobook/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-recording-audiobook/#respondSun, 20 Nov 2016 22:55:51 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7871I’ve been spending the past week in my hometown, Louisville, Ky. The week was busy with career day at my alma mater, a Shake Your Sugar Habit workshop at a local barre studio and my detox with food cooking class. When the weekend came, all I wanted to do was relax, but there was one […]

I’ve been spending the past week in my hometown, Louisville, Ky. The week was busy with career day at my alma mater, a Shake Your Sugar Habit workshop at a local barre studio and my detox with food cooking class. When the weekend came, all I wanted to do was relax, but there was one more item of business on my list: recording my audiobook.

I wanted my book recorded in my own voice to make it more personal, but I never knew how draining and trying on my patience it would be to record my own audiobook. Not to mention that reading my entire book out loud is humbling, but I know the result will be worth it.

After almost six hours of reading out loud, the audiobook is coming together and I can’t wait to share it with you!

The rest of the weekend was spent with family, including my 5-month-old nephew Reed. I didn’t get many pictures except of this little guy.

]]>http://www.whereineedtobe.com/notes-weekend-recording-audiobook/feed/0Is It Okay to Have a Cheat Day?http://www.whereineedtobe.com/is-it-okay-to-have-a-cheat-day/
http://www.whereineedtobe.com/is-it-okay-to-have-a-cheat-day/#respondThu, 17 Nov 2016 12:08:05 +0000http://www.whereineedtobe.com/?p=7848You look forward to it all week. The one day when you can forget about the rules and restrictions you put on your diet and indulge in all the foods you normally wouldn’t eat. It sounds good in theory, but is it okay to have a cheat day? If you look around the web, you’ll […]

You look forward to it all week. The one day when you can forget about the rules and restrictions you put on your diet and indulge in all the foods you normally wouldn’t eat. It sounds good in theory, but is it okay to have a cheat day? If you look around the web, you’ll find plenty of nutritionists in favor of the cheat day.

I’m not convinced a cheat day is okay. Here’s why:

One //The name itself can conjure feelings of guilt. Nobody likes the idea of cheating and even though it may be delicious in the moment, the fact that it’s called a “cheat” may have you feeling shameful when it’s over.

Two // It can lead to binges. If you get one day to do anything that feels “bad” or indulgent or something you wouldn’t normally do, do you play it safe or go all out? You better believe you go hard. This is what tends to happen with cheat days. It becomes a food free-for-all and things can easily get out of hand, especially if you’re prone to overeating.

Three // Recency. Have you ever eaten something and then craved the very same thing a day or two later? Recency is one primary cause of cravings. This means that something you recently ate can cause cravings for more of the same. A cheat day might have you eating waffles with ice cream, for example, but don’t be surprised if you’re fighting an uncontrollable urge to eat them again a day or so later when your cheat day is over.

Four // They’re often misused. The intention of a cheat day is to treat yourself to something you enjoy. However, intentionally or not, cheat days can turn into a binge day (see #2 above). Even if this happens just once a week, it can set your progress back or keep you stuck from moving forward.

Five // Food as reward. Congratulations! You made it another week on your diet or with your new healthy eating habits, but it’s time to stop using food as a reward, an unhealthy habit many of us picked up in childhood. When you can stop thinking of food as reward or punishment, healthy eating becomes just another way you take care of yourself and the cheat foods become less interesting.

So what can you do instead of a cheat day?

Treat yourself to non-food items or indulgent self-care once a week or when you hit milestones. Food-wise, if you’re feeling too deprived, designate a day of the week when you can enjoy something you wouldn’t normally, but choose one thing (or a pairing of two), just not all the things. Taking good care of yourself and eating well shouldn’t feel like you’re missing out.